The Turn of a New Leaf
by Silberne
Summary: A story heavily based off of a Warrior Role play I did with some old friends awhile back. Characters' names (apart from the three main characters) are related to cats from the Warriors Series. The names will ether be based off of the cats' names in some way or be from Celtic mythology.
1. Chapter 1: From Nest to Flight

The clack of wooden practice swords rang out in the courtyard. Daemon and his sister, Luna were at it again. Daemon was a tall, slender fellow with wavy, light brown hair that had only begun to touch his shoulders. Luna had slightly darker hair and her build was slightly thicker than Daemon's. They were both quiet children, Luna being shy and Daemon simply not having much to say unless he had to talk his way out of something he didn't want to do, but on the field of battle each matched the other's intensity. Luna slashes downward, but Daemon smartly side steps it and counters with a thrust. Luna lunges backwards and hits the sword away, knocking it out of Daemon's hand.

"I win, Brother," she says with a grin, throwing her sword into a barrel. As she begins to turn around, Daemon tackles her.

"You don't win until I yield, Sister!" Daemon exclaims playfully. Luna growls and wrestles Daemon, eventually pinning him down.

"Ha! Do you yield now, Brother?"

"No," Daemon states. Using all of his strength, he overcomes Luna and quickly slips out of her grasp.

"No fair! You're skinnier than me, I can't do that!" Luna huffs, sitting down on a tree stump.

"Fatty," Daemon teases. He chuckles and pokes Luna playfully. He then quickly runs out of the courtyard and down the hallway, knowing what the response will be from his sister.

"I am not fat, I'm just stronger than you!" She exclaims, chasing him down the hallway. Daemon quickly opens a door and dashes inside, closing it just as fast.

"Oh. My apologies. Good morning Raven!" Daemon says, slightly out of breath.

"By the Gods, this house is too feral for me!" Raven replies, slightly annoyed. "I can't seem to go a single day without getting interrupted by something." Raven was shorter and than Luna and Daemon. She had large eyes that would remind you of a cat's and her facial features were sharp. She had a certain beauty to her, but it was not an obvious one.

"I do apologize Raven, but I am in quite the situation... Again" Daemon explained with a wide grin on his face as some one starts to bang on the door loudly. "Let her in Daemon, please?" Raven asks.

"As you wish my lady," Daemon jokes, opening the door suddenly, causing Luna to sprawl to the floor. "Draw?"

"Draw," Luna agrees with a huff. As she climbs to her feet, one of the maids enters the room.

"Oh do please hurry up, breakfast started at dawn!" She exclaims, helping Luna up and dusting her off. "And Lady Raven, you may sleep as late as you like in your own estate, but you go by our schedule while you are here!" With that note, she hustled out of the crowded room.

"Don't mind her, shes been very tense since the war started, and everyone accusing everyone else of being a magic user," Daemon sighs "Come on, we should go down before she has to send for us again."

"Whats so bad about being a magic user?" Raven wondered.

"Nothing, but too many people fear them, and widespread fear leads to hysteria, which puts magic users in danger. I don't fear them. If they are gracious to me, I shall be gracious to them." Daemon stated as he walked out of the room with Luna. "I'll see you in the dining hall."

Raven quickly gets dressed in a maroon robe that barely skimmed the ground as she hurried to the apothecary's shack within the manor. The apothecary was a blind man by the name of Cyan, who was only beginning to show the signs of age. His blue grey hair was peppered here and there, but he was no older than forty. He always carried around a walking stick, one he had engraved with many runes and symbols. Raven quietly steps inside and examines the herbs. "They look sorted to me," Raven said, examining the contents of the jars and small bowls.

"They aren't. I can smell them," Cyan grunted softly, " Make sure you use more than just your sense of sight. Not all things are discovered using sight alone. I need to consult Lord Adder. I'll be back in a moment. I expect these herbs to be neat and organized when I return, Do you understand?"

"Yes Cyan," Raven replied dutifully, and with that he departed for the lord's chambers. As Raven carefully sorted through the herbs, Daemon and Luna were only beginning to enjoy their late breakfast.

"I cant wait to begin training with the Knights of the Serrated Shield, can't you? Do you think you'll join the order after you go through training?" Luna asked before taking a bite out of a biscuit.

"I truly don't know, I guess I'll join the order if it suites me, but they seem too strict for my preferences" Daemon replied as Cyan slowly filed into the dining hall. Despite his blindness, he knew the manor layout by memory and carried his walking stick with him just so none of the maids would assist in guiding him. He looked at Daemon with sown up eyelids, the rumor was that he had once worked for the king and saw something he shouldn't have, so they gouged out his eyes, had the eyelids sewn up, and banished him to wander until he came to the manor's doorstep. Daemon was hypnotized by the eyeless stare for a mere moment before Cyan's voice brought him back to consciousness

"Have you seen your father? I need to speak with him," he rasped quietly.


	2. Chapter 2: Cyan's Wish

"What does Cyan require my father for?" Daemon wondered. Cyan typically kept to himself and did not require aid in order to accomplish his tasks, so a meeting between him and Lord Rubus was not something one would speak of lightly.

"He was in the throne room, last we saw of him," Luna said. She knew that when her brother was thinking that he would do so for quite some time in order to cover all the surfaces in detail. Cyan dips his head to Luna in acknowledgement and proceeds down the hall to the grand entrance to the throne room. It was not colorful or flashy, like you would find in the manors of the south. It was sturdy, with dark wooden doors that seemed to take up the whole wall. They were decorated with carvings of the family history and iron swirls and waves that gave the door a dark elegance. The door frame was of stone construction with intertwining snakes chiseled from the floor the peak of the door frame. Above the door was a crow with its wings outstretched. A servant heaved the door open to allow Cyan to pass through. Only after the door shut did Cyan speak.

"My Lord," he said, "I wish to speak to you about a member of your house."

"Speak then Cyan, I know you would not be here if this was not important." Lord Rubus responded in a low voice that almost sounded like he was bragging about something he was proud of.

"It is about your niece, Raven. Id like to take her on as my apprentice. The first things she does every sunrise is come to the medicine room to help me. While her help is not needed, she is knowledgeable and I won't be around forever My Lord."

"Raven you say... Are you sure?" Lord Rubus inquired. To this, Cyan only nodded firmly. "Well then, by all means, ask her if shes willing. After she answers, report it to me and we can make it official." With that order, Cyan strides out of the throne room and down the hall.

"Did you hear any part of their conversation Daemon?" Luna whispered.

"Every word," Daemon replied with a smirk. While his eyesight was not the best, his sense of hearing was acute and he was remarkable when it came to eavesdropping.

"Well, what did they say?" Luna asked impatiently.

"Cyan just asked for our father's permission to make Raven his apprentice," Daemon says with a chuckle and a smug expression on his face.

Cyan had just walked back into his shack. Raven had finished sorting the herbs a good while ago and was now sitting at the table on the right side of the room writing in her journal. Upon Cyan's entry she shut the book and stood up to walk toward him. "I've sorted through all the herbs Cyan. I made sure everything was correct before you returned," she said with a faint smile that showed a sense of pride in the job she had done.

"Good, good. Please, sit back down, we have something of much more importance to discuss," Cyan explained, "I've talked with Lord Rubus and he has approved of my decision to make you my apprentice, if that is what you wish."

At this, Raven's eyes widened with delight. "Y-yes, of course!" Cyan nods, a slight grin of amusement appears on his face for a fraction of a second. "Then it shall be made official. Your apprenticeship ceremony shall be on the same day as Luna and Daemon's inauguration into the Serrated Shields. I will discuss the details of your ceremony, but until then, run along and prepare yourself. The ceremony is tomorrow at sun high."

Raven rushes out of the apothecary's shack and into the library, where Daemon is reading a tome while Luna slowly doses off on a couch. "Daemon! Luna! I'm becoming Cyan's apprentice!" Raven exclaims. Luna bolts up upon her arrival and Daemon quickly stifles a chuckle.

"That's wonderful news, your ceremony is going to happen at the same time as ours I imagine." Daemon says with a smile.

"It is," Raven replied.

"I'm glad we are all being sworn into our apprenticeship together," Luna added. "It will be easier because we will grow up together." Daemon and Raven both nod.

"Well, its getting late, we best get some sleep. We have a big today tomorrow." Damon says with a yawn as he closes the tome. Luna slowly rises from the couch follows him out with Raven not far behind. They walk down a corridor, stopping at the door to Raven's room.

"Pleasant dreams Raven," Luna yawns. The twins then proceed to their rooms, where they collapse in their beds. Daemon stares at the ceiling as Luna looks over at him.

"Daemon, when we join the Serrated Shields, who do you want your mentor to be?' she asks.

"I haven't a clue."

"It seems you haven't a clue about anything when I inquire about it," Luna remarks. "Do you want to sneak around the castle? We don't do that as much as we used to.."

"I haven't a clue," Daemon repeats, on purpose, with a chuckle. At that, Luna punches Daemon's arm lightly.

"Is that all you can say?"

"I haven't a clue," Daemon says for a third time, looking at Luna with bright, teasing eyes as he pokes her shoulder.

"Oh stop it!" Luna hisses. After that there is a long pause, one that, after awhile, Luna can't stand any longer. "I'm bored" she states with a bland tone in her voice.

"Well we are going to have our ceremony tomorrow, so I'm going to get some rest, I suggest you do the same," Daemon responds.

"Alright... Goodnight."

"Goodnight Luna," Daemon replies.


	3. Chapter 3: Ceremony

Luna yawns and wakes up, greeted by the morning's rays of golden light. She gets out of bed and stretches. Suddenly, her memories regarding the importance of this day flooded through her. She wings the door open. "Daemon wake up! We are joining the Order today!" Luna shouts, running down the corridor.

"Huh?" Daemon mumbles, rubbing his eyes and sitting up in bed."Oh yeah!" Daemon exclaims, jumping out of bed and chasing after Luna. She skids to a halt in front of Raven's door, Daemon nearly bowling her over due to the sudden stop.

She knocks on the door and then turns to her brother. "I' am so excited! Do you think Raven is too?"

"Of course! Who wouldn't be?"

"I do not know... Cyan perhaps?"

"Maybe," Daemon laughs. Raven then opens the door and walks with the twins to the dining hall.

"So Daemon, who do you hope your mentor will be?" Luna asks.

"It does not matter to me. So long as I learn what I need to know, I shall be fine with whoever I am assigned to I suppose."

At that, Luna pouts. "You are such a drag," Daemon laughs, only to get a punch in the arm from Luna.

"Come on! You must have someone in mind! Anyone?"

"Nope," Daemon teases, pushing Luna gently.

"Come on, anyone!?" Luna whines.

"Skyen perhaps. Perhaps," Daemon laughs.

"See? Was that so hard?"

"Yes," Daemon replies sarcastically

"Well, I know I'm going to enjoy the hunting and training, that's for sure!" Luna said. At that moment, Lord Rubus enters the dining hall accompanied by Cyan and two Serrated Shield Knights.

"Everyone," Lord Rubus's voice boomed and resonated off of the high ceiling of the dining hall, "Make your way to the throne room for the apprenticeship at this time. Daemon, Luna, and Raven, please follow me"

"This is it!" Luna squeals excitedly as she hurries to be ahead of the crowd heading with Daemon and Raven at her heels. Lord Rubus takes his place on his throne, with one knight on his left, and Cyan and the other knight on his right. Raven, Daemon, and Luna stand in a line before the throne.

"Daemon, step forward," Lord Rubus says calmly. "You have the reached the age of sixteen, making you of age to join the Serrated Shields, the honor bound knights that defend the lands we have fought so hard to earn in these hard times. Do you wish to join the Serrated Shields in order to learn the skills needed to survive in these harsh times?"

"Yes," Daemon replies calmly.

"Then it shall be so," Lord Rubus says, turning to the crowd, "Daemon has chosen to journey down the path of the Serrated Shields to protect our lands and uphold the peace. Andrasia will be his mentor. Andrasia, you had received excellent training from Leo Ignis and have proven yourself to be courageous and passionate, and I expect you to pass down all that you know down him." With that, Andrasia strode towards Daemon and grasped his right arm with hers and pulled him towards her until their faces were less than an inch apart, each looking into the other's eyes. They were mentor and apprentice now, the trust between them must be immediate and strong. She would teach Daemon how to survive and they would always guard each other's back. Daemon nods and then they let go of each other's arm. Andrasia then walks back to Lord Rubus's side, with Daemon standing in front of her.

"Luna, step forward," Lord Rubus says, "You have the reached the age of sixteen, making you of age to join the Serrated Shields, the honor bound knights that defend the lands we have fought so hard to earn in these hard times. Do you wish to join the Serrated Shields in order to learn the skills needed to survive in these harsh times?"

"Yes, I do." Luna replies, barely able to keep her excitement hidden.

"Then it shall be so," Lord Rubus announces, "Luna has chosen to journey down the path of the Serrated Shields to protect our lands and uphold the peace. Nuada will be her mentor. Nuada, you had received excellent training from Sir Corcinerem and have proven yourself to be fierce and wise. I expect you to pass down all that you know down her." Nuada walked to Luna and gripped her right arm with his and pulled her closer until her face was less than an inch from his, just as Andrasia had done with Daemon. Nuada had lost his right hand in combat, so where a hand should have been was a steel claw, given to him by Cyan. No one understood how it worked but it actually gave Nuada an advantage in combat. On the battlefield, when he was not cleaving a man in half with his longsword, he would slash at them with the claw, but when he wasn't in combat, corks were put over the sharp, pointed edges to act like fingers and keep him from accidentally cutting someone or himself. Nuada looked into Luna's eyes as Luna looked into his. With this gaze, she understood that they would be a maelstrom of chaos on the battlefield, and that nothing could even hope to stand in their way. They would kill for each other just as they would kill for the kingdom they were sworn to protect. Luna nods at Nuada. They then walk back to Lord Rubus's side. Nuada stands by Andrasia; Luna stands beside Daemon.

"Raven, step foreward," Lord Rubus says, "You have not yet reached the age of sixteen, but you have chosen a different path, one of the healer. Cyan has picked you personally as his apprentice. You will heal the injured, cure the sick, and when Cyan passes on, advise the lord of our lands. You may not marry, nor will you be allowed to bear a child. Will you accept this way of life?"

"I shall, to the best of my ability." Raven replies seriously.

"Our current apothecary, Cyan, shall be your mentor. I took him in and he has been the most useful member of our court ever since, and I dare anyone to prove otherwise. Cyan, your knowledge is vast; I expect you to pass down all that you know to Raven, so that she may be as helpful as you are now." Cyan calmly shuffles over to Raven and puts both of his hands on her head. He brings her head closer to his until their foreheads touched.

"Close your eyes," Cyan whispered monotonously. Raven closed her eyes and felt a sudden surge of energy pass through her. Cyan let go of her and the surge went away, but she felt different. She felt powerful. Cyan walks to stand beside Nuada as Raven quickly snaps back to reality, walking to stand by Luna.


End file.
